


Coping Mechanisms

by waterbird13



Series: Tumblr Fics [168]
Category: Supernatural
Genre: Food Issues, Gen, Sam living with Jody, exercise issues, finding good ones, poor coping mechanisms
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-09-11
Updated: 2016-09-11
Packaged: 2018-08-14 09:19:20
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 562
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8007718
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/waterbird13/pseuds/waterbird13
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Sam's been trying to cope for years. He just doesn't have the healthiest strategies.</p><p>Jody wants to help him.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Coping Mechanisms

**Author's Note:**

> This is another piece from Tumblr.
> 
> Sam moves in with Jody and she helps him out.

Exercise is supposed to be a healthy coping mechanism. Getting out there and keeping active is supposed to help, pretty much regardless of what’s troubling someone.

But there should be an asterisk after that, a limited as to what’s okay, because there’s running and then there’s running away from your problems until your knees give way.

Or food. There’s probably nothing healthy about the way Sam eats, honestly, even if it does make him feel better sometimes.

Or the overworking, or the not sleeping properly–due to the overworking, mostly–or, really any of it. None of it’s good, but it’s all he has.

Or, at least, all he’s had. Before now.

Jody shrugs. “I don’t know much about yoga,” she admits. “But I hear you do”–and Sam can guess where that rumor came from, judging by Jody’s smirk–”so maybe you try that. They have classes in town, you know.”

Sam’s never done a class, at least since college, except for the one he taught at the spa. He’s not even sure he knows what to do in a class, really, and–

Jody is good at reading faces. Maybe it’s a Mom thing. “It’s supposed to be relaxing,” she reminds him. “So if it’s not relaxing you, then you don’t do it. But lots of people pull it off every day. You could too.”

Right. That _does_  make sense. Yoga classes, then. Now that he’s living with Jody, he’s going to try _yoga classes_.

“So,” she says. “The food thing. Don’t think I haven’t noticed. You need to eat, Sam.”

Sam nods, because he knows that. Food is important. Food in, fuel, energy out. That’s how it works. He just has trouble executing the idea, sometimes.

“We can work on it together,” she says. She pauses for a moment, then asks, “Anything else? That would help you?” 

Sam feels momentarily guilty for how much effort she’s putting in. He knows he showed up wrecked at her door a week and a half ago, that he can’t hide how fucked up he is right now. And she’s smart and observant and doesn’t let things go. She wants to take care of people.

If anyone could help fix him, it would probably be her.

He shrugs. “I don’t know,” he says. That’s really all he has to offer. He has _no idea_  how to go about fixing himself, how to feel better when, really, he’s never had even a start at doing so.

Jody considers him a moment. “Alright,” she says. “Well figure it out. But one last thing–I’m here, Sam. And talking to other people is important. It’s, like, the most important coping mechanism. The healthiest thing you can do. And it doesn’t have to be me, but I’m here, if you want to try that, okay?”

Sam just stares at her for a moment. “I might…try a journal?” he offers, still a little hesitant. “I’m not ready to talk. Now. But maybe someday I‘ll let you read it.”

She smiles, and Sam thinks _Mom smile,_ the words coming to him automatically but fitting perfectly. “Perfect,” she says. “That’s perfect, Sam.”

Sam smiles back. He hasn’t even started yet, hasn’t made any more of an attempt then talking it out with Jody and promising himself to try, but already, it feels good, to say he’s going to try this. 


End file.
